A PLANNING application to build a house on a tiny plot of land was rejected by councillors, who called it “the stupidest application” they’d ever seen.

The proposal to build a two-bedroom cottage on land to the east of 1, Bywell Avenue, Hexham came before councillors on Tynedale Local Area Council on Tuesday.

The councillors went against the recommendation of officers and refused the application following a site visit.

Coun. Cath Homer, who represents Hexham East, spoke against the application.

She said: “This is one of the worst examples of shoe-horning a property on a piece of land.

“One of my biggest fears is that every little piece of land in Hexham will be built on, because there will be a precedent set.”

Coun. Homer, along with residents of Bywell Avenue, also raised concerns about the safety of cars on the proposed property’s driveway joining the highway, citing the large number of children who use the road to get to school.

Coun. Colin Horncastle was among those to voice his disbelief.

He said: “It beggars belief that anybody would want to build a house here. I don’t see how it could be built. The scaffolding would have to be in the allotments.

“This is without doubt the stupidest planning application I’ve ever seen.”